Text 4 Judicial power

The Supreme Court of the Russian Federation was formed and developed as a result of a judicial reform, carried out in Russia from the beginning of the 90s. The purpose of the reform was to create and maintain the judicial power in the state mechanism as an independent branch of power, free from political and ideological bias, independent in its activities from the executive and legislative branches of power. Independent, competent law court is an important component of a democratic state based on a rule of law.

The Constitution of the Russian Federation of 1993 became the main legal basis for the introduction of the judicial reform. For the first time the Constitution contained a Chapter according to which the state power in the Russian Federation should be exercised on the basis of its division into legislative, executive and judicial powers, and all these branches of power should be independent.

The structure of the judicial system of the Russian Federation and the sphere of activities of its various parts are determined by the Constitution and federal constitutional laws.

The judicial system of the Russian Federation consists of: - the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation and constitutional courts of the republics and other subjects of the Russian Federation.

The Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation considers cases relating to the compliance of the federal laws, normative acts of the President of the Russian Federation, the Council of the Federation, the State Duma, the Government of the Russian Federation, constitutions of the republics, charters and other normative acts of the subjects of the Russian Federation with the Constitution of the Russian Federation.

- four-tiered system of courts of the general jurisdiction. Three-tiered system of the military courts is an integral part of it. The Supreme Court of the Russian Federation is the supreme judicial body of this branch; - three-level system of the arbitration courts with the Higher Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation as a supreme judicial body, competent to settle economic disputes and other cases considered by arbitration courts, exercise judicial supervision over their activities, according to the federal law-envisaged procedural forms. The system of the arbitration courts comprises: the arbitration courts of the subjects of the Russian Federation; the courts of the arbitration districts and the Higher Arbitration Court. The Supreme Court of the Russian Federation is the highest judicial body for the civil, criminal, administrative and other cases, which are under trial jurisdiction. It carries out judicial supervision over lower courts in accordance with the judicial procedure provided by the federal law and gives explanations on the judiciary practice. The High Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation is the highest judicial body for the economic disputes and other cases, which under the jurisdiction of arbitration courts. It carries out judicial supervision over their activity in accordance with the judicial procedure of the federal law and gives explanations on the judiciary practice.

2. Give Russian equivalents:

1. (n) purpose, bias, rule, division, compliance, charter, dispute, supervision, district, jurisdiction, explanation

2. (v) carry out, maintain, contain, determine, develop, consider, settle, exercise, comprise

3. (adj) judicial, independent, main, various, military, three-level, four-tiered, law-envisaged, civil, criminal, trial, judiciary

3. Insert the correct preposition.

1. The Supreme Court was formed and developed as a result of a judicial reform, carried … in Russia from the beginning of the 90s.

2. The Constitution of the Russian Federation of 1993 became the main legal basis … the introduction of the judicial reform.

3. The structure of the judicial system of the Russian Federation and the sphere of activities of its various parts are determined … the Constitution and federal constitutional laws.

4. For the first time the Constitution contained a Chapter according … which the state power in the Russian Federation should be exercised … the basis of its division … legislative, executive and judicial powers.

5. The Higher Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation is a supreme judicial body, competent to settle economic disputes and other cases considered … arbitration courts.

6. It carries … judicial supervision … lower courts … accordance … the judicial procedure provided … the federal law and gives explanations on the judiciary practice.

4. Give English equivalents.

Судебная реформа, независимая ветвь власти, свободный от политического и идеологического влияния, другие субъекты Российской Федерации, высший судебный орган, осуществлять судебный надзор, предусмотренный законом процессуальный порядок, в соответствии с судебной процедурой.

5. Read the texts about the executive in judicial power again and answer the questions.

1. What are the federal organs of executive power?

2. Does the President have the right to appoint the Prime Minister and the cabinet?

3. The President is not only head of State but also the guarantor of the Constitution and citizens’ rights in the Russian Federation, is he?

4. What does the executive branch consists of?

5. What does control over the State apparatus enable the President to use?

6. What State organ helps and assists the President to implement his core functions?

7. Was the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation formed and developed as a result of a judicial reform, carried out in Russia from the beginning of the 90s or 80s?

8. What became the main legal basis for the introduction of the judicial reform?

9. What does the judicial system of the Russian Federation consist of?

10. What does the system of the arbitration courts comprise?

11. What is the highest judicial body for the civil, criminal, administrative and other cases, which are under trial jurisdiction?

12. Is the High Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation or the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation the highest judicial body for the economic disputes and other cases?

1. Free Speech

1. What Russian tsars do you know? Do you remember the years of their reign?

2. What was their reformative activity?

2. Read text A.